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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22431379">To Break a Curse (It's Complicated)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rydia_Auften/pseuds/Rydia_Auften'>Rydia_Auften</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternative Future, Auror Ron Weasley, Denial of Feelings, Dirty Thoughts, F/F, Fleur has developed a short temper, Flirting, Hermione forgave Narcissa long ago, Kissing, Lust Potion/Spell, MILFs, Swearing, Will They or Won't They?</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 08:46:46</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,593</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22431379</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rydia_Auften/pseuds/Rydia_Auften</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Fleur Delacour, Cursebreaker at Gringotts Wizarding Bank knew exactly what  had struck Hermione within the Black family vault; she had been too late to stop it.</p><p>While cursed, Hermione finds herself powerfully attracted to someone she shouldn't be with and wonders if she even wants to resist.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Hermione Granger/Narcissa Black Malfoy, Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>91</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Six months after the fall of Voldemort, Kingsley Shacklebolt had it brought to his attention that during the previous government many Death Eaters overnight had become wealthy and it wasn't because their wages were generous. </p><p>It was discovered that while being tortured or receiving threats of danger to their families, muggle born witches and wizards were forced to sign their worldly treasures, including their vaults, over to the government.  Legislation was quickly passed with nearly unanimous agreement that everyone, living or dead, who profitted from the persecution of muggleborns would have their assets frozen until an audit was conducted.  The goal was to return money, properties and magical items back to the survivors or their heirs.  Of course there was some opposition to this deal, some pure-blooded families felt paranoid that they would in turn have their family treasures stolen.  This was why a stipulation was added that a family or their representative must be present while it was happening.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Disclaimer:  I don't own any part of Harry Potter</p><p> </p><p>Warning:  I don't speak French but I am going to have a good time overexaggerating Fleur's accent.  The above note is also world building I don't want to bore down the main story with.</p><p>Further warning:  the primary relationship here is between Hermione and Narcissa but she is still with Ron at this point in the story.  He's a good guy with bad luck.  </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Hermione could hear her long before she could see her.  </p><p>The familiar clacking of heels against the marble floor of Gringotts Wizarding Bank was the same sound she heard every Tuesday and Thursday when she visited her comatose fiancee at St. Mungo's hospital. In charge of Ron's treatment was a healer-witch whose knowledge of poisons was unparalleled, the last person she expected to be seeing today.</p><p>"Tres bien, Madame Black is on time"  Fleur observed as she finished examining Hermione's purse. They were in the Cursebreaker's office, the door was open onlooking the entrance podium.  Hermione furrowed her brows trying to understand how she could have been so misinformed.</p><p>"That's strange," she said as she clasped her purse shut.  "I spoke to Andi last week, she said they had decided she was going to be the one to represent the Black family."</p><p>"A change in circumstance perhaps? "  Fleur commented casually "I only learned about it zis morning but eet eez not a problem for you no?  </p><p>"No...but-- " Fleur rolled her eyes.  She was frustrated with how the audits had messed with her job. In the past she only needed to spend a few hours in the day underground defeating the various traps set about the outsides of vaults.  Lately though she did a whole lot of sitting and waiting while having to listen to magical folk squabble about who owned what.  </p><p>"It is fine!"  She cut off Hermione.  "Because of her both 'arry and Ron are alive today and you welcome the chance to work wis her today oui?"</p><p>Hermione opened her mouth to say she agreed, but it was so much more complicated than that.  </p><p>Four months earlier while searching for rogue Death Eaters, Ron was stuck by an arrow poisoned with the pollen of a medusa flower.  He was slowly turning to stone.  The treatment for him included being placed into a coma because the toxin was triggered by muscle movement.  Other treatments included leeches to pull out the infected blood and various poultices placed on his body to repair his cells.  In the time that Ron had been asleep, she had been able to spend a lot of time getting to know the newly divorced Narcissa Black.  </p><p>She wasn't going to explain to Fleur that she actually really liked the witch; intelligent, surprisingly humorous,  beautiful...She also wasn't going to explain how the sound of her heels made her think of her stockings clinging to shapely calves.  Fleur didn't need to be told that not having had sex in almost half a year was probably the reason she was even acknowledging this strange attraction to her childhood bully's mother.</p><p>Hermione wasn't going to say any of that; but she didn't actually have to.</p><p>Fleur watched Narcissa's approach; she was wearing a form fitting simple yet elegant dark green dress  beneath an unbuttoned ankle length silver fur coat.  Her shoulder length hair was primarily Black except for the white blonde streaks which were tied behind her head.  The Veela's eyes saw the darks in those blue orbs become wide when they found their focus on Hermione.  As for Hermione, while standing next to her she caught the slight catch in her breath and her heart rate increase significantly.  Fleur realized then that maybe putting these two in a closed space for hours on end daily for upwards of half a year might be a bad idea.</p><p>"'Ermione, Andromeda said she will be available to assist in the upcoming days, maybe we postpone 'zis until next week?"  Fleur suggested quietly.</p><p>Hermione's semi-giggle came out breather than normal with a slightly high pitched finish.  The younger woman was delighting in this.</p><p>"No, you were right it's going to be fine." Hermione said as the greetings between the three of them began before Fleur catalogued the Healer's possessions.  Nothing went down that didn't also come back up, and nothing comes out if it was already locked in.  Fleur couldn't help the dread, feeling something was still going to come out of that vault that did not yet exist.  For her brother-in-law's sake, she hoped she was wrong, but there was nothing more she could do to stop it. </p><p>They all had jobs to do.</p><p>This was how Hermione Granger, temporary Auditor for the Department of Mysteries, wound up in the vault of Bellatrix Lestrange once again; this time with the object of her infatuation, Narcissa Black.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. If you Don't Know What it is, Don't Touch it!</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Hermione finds something beautiful yet suspicious</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I am no scholar of the Harry Potter world variety.   Magic might be just as ridiculous as the "plot",  but I hope to make it fun.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>For the most part, the golden trio had set off most of Bellatrix's traps when they first broke into her vault almost five years earlier.  Still, after a quick inspection for danger Fleur insisted on being present when the audit began.  She chose to sit on the inside and observe Hermione and Narcissa, instead of waiting outside as she normally would.</p><p>Narcissa, having had to listen to Lucius bitch about this process over a year ago knew that the the process began with the counting and tracing of the money.  The mineral memory would be able to recall who had last held that knut.  So far, it had been proven that the most wealthy families had not distributed muggle born cash amongst themselves, but Narcissa wasn't certain that would be the case with her sister.  If something was precious to an individual, Bellatrix was one to take pleasure in seeing their anguish when she took it away; this would probably also include their fortune.</p><p>At this point, all she could do is sit and wait for Hermione to ask her questions, so she brought a stool and several books in her purse to keep herself awake.</p><p>Hermione on the other hand saw her surroundings; piles and piles of money with priceless heirlooms casually placed on top and within them, and a feeling of triumph hit her chest.  Sure, this is where they almost died, but she nearly died at Hogwarts several times and nothing could keep her from completing her education there.  However, this is where it became real to her, that maybe they could actually win.  Ron would be amazed she had been given this assignment, and when he woke up he would probably beg her to let him come and visit.</p><p>Life would go back to normal once he was back, no more sleeping alone, no more visits to St. Mungo's...</p><p>No more tea at Ron's bedside with Narcissa..</p><p>Her thoughts were interrupted by Fleur clearing her throat to catch Hermione's attention.</p><p>"Ahem, 'Ermione?  Do you plan to proceed or is being back here too much?"</p><p>The auditor scoffed at the cold tone and wondered to herself what exactly had gotten up Fleur's ass.  Even from the last time they had worked together, only a month earlier, the silvery blonde woman was becoming quite ornery.  Not wanting to look flustered as she felt, she called back,</p><p>"I'm just mentally organizing this.  This is definitely going to take some time, Madame it looks like the Black family has done quite well for itself."</p><p>"It's true" Narcissa interjected matter of factly "Cygnus was a both a workaholic and a miser and  when he died he left everything to Bellatrix.  Before she had been sent to Azkaban prison, she had made some investments that paid off in the time she was away."</p><p>"Interesting"  Fleur spoke up without a hint of interest.  Her nose was looking down at a muggle fashion magazine.  "So your lunatic sister supposedly knew 'ow to manage money"</p><p>The former Mrs. Malfoy was quiet for a moment, contemplating what the cursebreaker was trying to achieve by stating that. She was used to people taking shots at Bellatrix, but at this moment it felt like Fleur was trying to start a fight with her.  She thought to raise her hackles before deciding she really didn't need to.</p><p>"That will be up to Miss Granger to discern if that is true or not."  She responded diplomatically sharing a quick glance with Hermione before adding "Historically though, prosperity follows certain families.  Perhaps this collection here is a fraction of what you know to be in the Delacour family treasury Madame Weaseley?"</p><p>Hermione saw the Veela raise her face with an annoyed sneer across her lips for whatever reason.  This was not how she wanted to start this task.  Fleur was not obliged to witness this, but Narcissa was duty bound to stay.   She decided they would have to discuss this matter later but until then she needed to get focused.  Loudly, she began clearing her throat to command the room's attention.</p><p>"I'm going to get started!  Ms. Black, I need you to stand with me for a few moments please."  She made a risky move then and extended her hand to the seated woman knowing full well what could happen when their skin made contact.  It had already happened at St. Mungo's, a light brush of fingertips here or there while sharing tea, or a book.  Hermione felt the sensation akin to a shock of electricity, warming the skin and sending a ripple of energy throughout her being.   It had been only the previous Thursday when Narcissa had asked to examine the scar Bellatrix had left on her arm.  One hand, firm yet gentle, cradled her forearm up for assessment while the fingers from her other hand traced softly around and against the still tender wound.   Hermione took in a sharp breath and tried to pretend this was any other healer examining her despite that she could feel her heartbeat hasten.</p><p>"I will make this right Hermione" the Healer promised with earnest eyes.  "Its a cursed mark, and every curse has its cure.  I am going to find it." </p><p>The younger woman hadn't realized until  Narcisssa had stopped speaking that she, herself had been holding her breath.   Narcissa was professional with her but as their eyes met, Hermione couldn't help, or perhaps hope that the feeling af attraction was mutual.</p><p>The guilt of it as she stood next to her slumbering fiancee was too much.  Releasing her breathe she spoke more nervously than intended.  She made an excuse that she had to rush off for work reasons and that was the last time she had seen Narcissa until this morning.  </p><p>With her hand out, confident fingertips touched upon her palm inviting Hermione curl her own fingers around them.  The elegant heiress stood up then and did not let go as they regarded one another eye to eye.  Hermione was at a loss for what she wanted to say next.</p><p>"How may I assist you Miss Granger?"   </p><p>Feeling some semblance of mind,  the younger woman found her words.</p><p>"I'm dividing the space into sixteen equal sized invisible  boxes  The horizontal line represents numbers one to four. while the vertical will be a,b,c and d.  I am compelled to begin at section 1a.  There is a lot to inventory there but it will keep the count organized."</p><p>"Agreed"  Narcisssa replied as the two walked briskly hand in hand to said section.</p><p>Fleur watched their interaction, and could clearly see that something definitely was going on between them.  There was something else though.   They were twenty feet away when she felt a  shift in the air, a tiny vibration seemed to be coming from the direction the two were walking.  Rising quickly, she gave chase.</p><p>"Stop!!!" She called out but found her words being pushed back behind her like a strong wind, but it wasn't wind at all.  It was a voice, female and haunting that became louder the closer to section 1a she came. </p><p>A siren song.</p><p>"Come to me, come to me quickly.  I am waiting for you, you have waited long enough"</p><p>Hermione picked up the source of the sound hidden under a shallow pile of coins:  a large golden egg with a white serpent encircling it.  Fleur was so close, she reached to pull Narcissa backwards but some force gave speed to the entranced woman.  </p><p>The egg cracked as two hands encircled it.</p><p>A bright green force burst out striking the two women at once, pushing them both several feet back and onto the floor.  With the dispersing of the magic, the song disappeared and the following silence was deafening.</p><p>Fleur went to Hermione, unconscious on the floor.  She didn't have to check her vitals, this was not a curse meant to harm unless you tried to resist it.  </p><p>Veela are immune to magics that are meant to manipulate the heart and its desires.  However, just because it couldn't affect her did not mean she did not recognize it for what it was.  </p><p>Doloros Cupidiem.</p><p>It was about to be either the greatest or the worst 24 hours in the lives of Hermione Granger and Narcissa Black.  There was nothing Fleur could do.</p><p>"Merde"</p><p> </p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I am still editing and tweaking this chapter, so it might change as I make some progress on chapter three.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. A Spot of Madness on this Fine Day</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I'm going to mostly reply to comments at the start here from now on.  It makes my comment section look artificially big when I don't so here goes:</p><p>Scout4it:  Thanks for your responses, I think you're right, they do need a magical nudge.  Not thanks to Fleur though, my goal here was to make her a bitter cockblocker.  She had reasons to be so unfriendly though, I'm not trying to massacre one of my favorite characters in the series for nothing.</p><p>Snape_Granger:  Ron is an idiot, but if Hermione leaves him depends on my mood.  The story up to now has changed from where I originally plotted it to go.  Does Hermione marry him anyway?  Is Narcissa ready to defend her own heart because you know she doesn't feel like she deserves to be happy.  We shall see.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Doloros Cupidiem"</p><p>It was Bellatrix's voice that was like a sexy hammer smashing against what felt like walls inside her brain.  It was followed by a blinding light and what felt like a wave of warm water swallowing her and then spitting her out backwards.</p><p>When her head smashed against the floor, she didn't fall unconscious as one might expect.  Her vision was bright although her eyes were closed so she clenched them tighter thinking they were actually open.  The light was painful, but it was nothing next to the deep throbbing on the back of her skull where she made contact with the stone floor.  She ached to reach up and cradle her head but she wasn't sure she could feel her hands.  She instructed her hands to wiggle her fingers and found her ability to sense what they were doing was lost.</p><p>"No!"  She whispered loudly and repeated "No no no no no what's happening"  </p><p>Suddenly she felt a weight upon her face and realized it had become dark.  An instant relief washed over her.</p><p>"'Ermione, don't try to move" it was Fleurs voice.  </p><p>"Hermione, where are you?"  That one was Narcissa but she sounded far away.</p><p>"Madame, don't you move eizer.  Madame, stop trying to pull ze cloak off your face"</p><p>The veela sighed with annoyance.  It sounded strangely erotic to Hermione's ears.  Though she couldn't feel what she was doing, her desire to sit up was resulting in her body guiding itself upwards.  She didn't know why she needed to move at all; for all she knew, the curse Bellatrix had sent them was causing her serious damage but her instincts were in charge.  She needed to go to the voice, she needed to see Fleur. </p><p>"Sacre bleu, I promees if eizer of you look at me I will watch you die because I will not fuck you!"  </p><p>The rich deep laughter of Narcissa followed that fury laden exclamation.  It was a strange thing to declare, Hermione had decided.  Perhaps Fleur had gone mad?   Maybe that's why she hated travelling with her underground, maybe Fleur was denying to herself something she wanted all along.  It made her feel angry and frankly, quite insulted.</p><p>"Hey, I am perfectly fuckable" she cried out,  not noticing how slurred her voice was.  She tried to will her hands to pull whatever this fabric was covering her head, but she felt weak suddenly. "I hab many expe...ex...I did it lots otay"</p><p>She lay back down.  It would only be for a moment, she figured.</p><p>Narcissa was still laughing hysterically at the Veela's jest.  She knew exactly what this curse was and she was amused at the idea that she couldn't resist whatever Bellatrix threw at her.  As if anything could make her desire something as cold as a bonded veela?  Numbness of the senses was the first symptom followed by the diminishing of logical thinking.  Narcissa felt fine, she could still smell the perfume that lingered on the cloak on top of her.  It was expensive, rare, definately Fleur's.  The only thing she could notice that was off, was a peculiar tingling in her spine that made her need to be upright. </p><p>She was concerned for Hermione.  The girl would probably become insane if the first person her eyes fell upon was Fleur; the true power of the curse would awaken then, and she didn't think she could be okay with the girl being infatuated with anybody other than herself.  She was confident Hermione was also attracted to her, but knew it would never be more than sneaky glances and <em>accidental</em> touches between them.  </p><p><em>"why is life so cruel?"  </em>She thought wistfully as the mirth in her chest suddenly twisted and dropped into the nadir of her denied despair.  </p><p>"Your 'ead is bleeding 'Ermione"  Fleur cried out kneeling behind Hermione far enough back to be able to evade her hands should the dark haired girl reach up.  "I will help you, be sti--"</p><p>Her words were cut off by the in gust of Narcissa's laughter then exhale as a great mournful wail.  </p><p>"Merde!"  Fleur muttered in frustration at the lunacy before her.  "Narcissa are you injured!"   When she covered the woman's upper body with her work jacket, she looked her regal old self lying on top of a golden pile of coins.    When the Black woman didn't reply and just kept loudly sobbing, she decided it was the time to figure out what she should do next.  There were no medical supplies with them, and while she did have her wand, she was putting herself at risk just being in the presence of cursed individuals; their behaviour would continue to be unpredictable whether they had their vision or not.  It was too much to handle herself, the thought she was having with more regularity was that she should get out of this line of work.</p><p>"N'cissa is..."  Hermione spoke softly.  "Is cry?"  She was barely moving.  Fleur's stress level rose higher, she needed the other woman to calm the fuck down.</p><p>"Madame, shut up!"  She screamed across the room.   The woman's sobs became quieter. "I need to get Hermione medical attention but I can't touch her. "</p><p>"I'm a healer!"  It came out with more pain in her voice than Narcissa intended.  She cleared her throat and wiped her nose against the jacket to gain more composure.  She stood on her feet looking like a kid wearing a sheet pretending to be a purple ghost.</p><p>"You are useless to me!"  Fleur declared coldly, honestly.   "I still need to get you out of 'ere safely"</p><p>Narcissa followed the despicable voice of the blonde as well as she could with her head covered.  Who was this woman to tell her what she was?   Lifting her nose up, her goal was to sound as authoritarian and demeaning as possible, not realizing how drunk she actually sounding.</p><p>"Misseses Weaseley.  I.  Am a medical professiono, You.  are a glorifiedsecurityguard.  Whooo, are you to tell me what she needs?"</p><p>If it was anybody other than Hermione, Fleur would have walked away,</p><p>"She eez bleeding from ze back of her skull"</p><p>Narcissa wanted to panic.  She was glad then that her face was hidden as a vision of her...friend?, lying in a pool of blood.  Then she remembered how many witches and wizards Bellatrix broke and left barely alive, and somehow from beyond the grave, she was doing it again.  But why?  She needed just a brief moment of clarity to understand why the stupid egg would even be here.</p><p>"Your plan is to pick her up and take her out of the bank...But before we can leave we all need to be examined, if we are taking anything out that didn't go down with us..."</p><p>"Narcissa--"  Fleur was hushed silent.</p><p>"And you will be questioned as to why you didn't find the egg first."  Her voice found its confidence. "Even if you aren't sacked, your competency will  come into question.  In the meantime, Hermione will continue to bleed out.  Maybe she dies on your watch.  People will talk."  A sudden idea hit Narcissa.  It was crazy, but then again maybe this is how Bellatrix's mind used to work all the time, she pondered.</p><p>"So what is your suggestion?"  The veela spat out "Zat I let you examine  'er, let you make  'er cheat on poor Ron?  Was zat ze reason you took Andromeda's place today?</p><p>The healer turned around, no longer looking towards the two women.  She pulled the cloth from her head to the floor and absently looked around at the piles of money and realizing there would be something to be found beneath them.</p><p>"There's a bed in here somewhere."  She declared, ignoring the accusation.  Her own wand was in the office above, the blonde would have to dig it out with hers.  "She knew that people would talk if they left here before the curse was spent.  There were reputations to protect."</p><p>"Madame your are not making sense.  Close your eyes and come now before I make you"</p><p>"Disgusting!"  Narcissa exclaimed, ignoring anything being said to her.  "Hey Fleur, you sound really tense, want to hear a joke?"  She didn't wait for a reply.  "Bellatrix told me once that she was going to arrange for the Dark Lord to have an heir.  It's hilarious because he hated children, and he hated sex.  I think she was planning to be the one he got up the duff, right in this vault."</p><p>Fleur did not have time for this.  She didn't care if the goblins fired her, it would be worse if she let Hermione die, or worse still, let her have sex with Narcissa.  She decided then she was going to have to risk the girl potentially seeing her to get her out of the building.  They couldn't apparate from here, but someone would summon a fit healer once they got back to the main level.</p><p>The covering over Hermione was a duplicate of the one Narcissa had just destroyed; Fleur created it just after realizing what had happened with the cursed object.  Her plan was to carefully lift her while while leaving Narcissa to her madness locked in the vault.  If there wasn't anybody to look at, perhaps the former Malfoy wife might even survive the remains of the 24 hour period.  In all her planning, she hadn't realized that she had lost track of what the older witch was doing until she looked up from Hermione to see the older witch standing before them, her eyes casually shut.</p><p>"I had no idea you could be such a heartless cunt."  Narcissa spoke coldly.  "You would condemn me to die for something I have no control over."</p><p>"Get out of my head!"  Fleur demanded, standing and thrusting the her wand to the tip of the other woman's nose. Apathetic to the threat before her, the older woman calmly replied:</p><p>"Mrs. Weaseley of the happy Weaseley family, have you been struck by a spot of madness?  You said that out loud."</p><p>Fleur blinked in disbelief and continued to hold her wand ready to blast Narcissa's head if provoked further.  She scoffed and called her a liar.</p><p>Narcissa meanwhile began to wiggle her fingers, trying to turn back the numbness that was taking hold of her hands.  It wouldn't be long before it took over her whole body and her mind would become focused on one thing alone.  It wasn't just a desire for sex that these of magics stirred up, but all manners of honest emotions.  One could say, they made the person affected desire to be completely naked before the object of their desire and she did not want to share any of that with Fleur.</p><p>"You wanted her even before we came here"  The Veela accused while fighting her doubts.  "If you think I'm going to--"</p><p>"Sure, sure! " the former Mrs. Malfoy interrupted as her desperation rose.  "But I am old and she loves Ron.  Even if I tried to touch her she would push me away.  Am I wrong?"</p><p>Fleur did not reply.</p><p>"I can help her, but not before we are connected.  After I heal her wounds I can look at you too since you are clearly pregnant and just inhaled something that could interfere with the baby's development."</p><p>"Non!"  Fleur cried out in horror and clutched her hands to her still flat stomach.</p><p>Narcissa used the opportunity to drop to her knees where she knew Hermione was and opened her eyes.  She could see her hands trembling as they lifted the fabric upwards, so close.  As her rosy lips were exposed, she remembered the first time she wondered what it would be like to kiss them.  She had been writing a note to send by owl inviting the younger woman over for tea.  As she wrote, she saw them in her parlour, finally alone without fear of interruption and imagined if she would still taste like peppermint if she leaned in and kissed her.  They never did have that visit, the cowardice in her heart told her to burn the letter.  </p><p>She took back her hands, able progress no further as their slight tremor became outright shakes.  Whatever sensation was left in her included the feeling of cold sweat beginning to collect on her forehead.  She inhaled a deep breath and upon the exhale attempted to exert her will on her hands which did not obey.  </p><p>"Bollocks!"  She grunted in frustration wishing she could just rip the garment away but knowing her loss of control could mean greater injury to Hermione.  She closed her eyes to calm down.  She didn't trust any part of herself at this moment, not even her hearing which at the moment made her world sound like she was underwater.  There was a distinctive voice though, but she was certain it was in her head.  The words it said seemed to be.</p><p>"Hoooooweee!   I can breath again!"</p><p>Narcissa kept her eyes closed, even though she felt a tugging along the sides of her body and weight settle on her shoulders.  She imagined it was even saying her name, but it couldn't be real.  The full madness was upon her and her own mind was going to be her torturer.</p><p>"Open your eyes" the voice called out, a trick to make her return to whatever horrors awaited once she returned to the light.  But still, she responded,</p><p>"I can't."</p><p>It was strange though, how warm her chest began to feel.  Feel?  There was also a tingle in the place her lips should be followed by a gargling sound as though water was spinning down a drain.  Her eyes popped open of their own accord in time to see the most welcome and wonderful sight.  It was Hermione.  Kissing her.  </p><p>Their eyes met again as the dear girl pulled back from her and smiled with full awareness of what she had awakened.  Her hand still held Narcissa's face as she felt the tremors in her body calm and she felt the woman lean against her palm.</p><p>"Hermione."  A joyful statement, her bright blue eyes were wide with both disbelief and wonder.  Hermione caressed where she had kissed with her thumb, where she planned to kiss again and again starting immediately.  The younger woman leaned in to her and spoke against her lips,</p><p>"Welcome back."</p><p> </p>
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